Means for lighting and extinguishing a system of gas-lamps at prearranged times from a given station.



J. BRAZIER & H. WATSON.

EXTINGUISHING A SYSTEM OF GAS LAMPS AT PREARRANGED TIMES FROM A GIVEN STATION. APPLICATION FILED 13130.28. 1909.

MEANS IOR LIGHTING AND 2 SHEET8-SHEET 1.

W QM/ JJ A may J RS cm, WASHINGTON, n c

Patented Oct; 11,1910.

.L BRAZIER 8r H. WATSON.

AND EXTINGUISHING A SYSTEM 01" GAS LAMPS AT PEBABRANGED TIMES FROM A GIVEN STATION. ni tiou'lon FILED 121:0. 2a, 1909. v

MEANS FOR LIGHTING m5 NEPRIS FET R5 co., WASHINGTON, n. c

Patentedfict. 11, 1910.

JOSEPH BRAZIER AND HERBERT WATSON, OF MELBOURNE, VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA, ASSIGNORS OF ONE-THIRD TO ROTI-IWELL RICHARD GRUND'Y, OF BRUNSWICK,

AUSTRALIA.

MEANS FOR LIGHTING AND EXTINGUISHING A SYSTEM OF GAS-LAMPS AT PREAR- RANGED TIMES FROM A GIVEN STATION.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOSEPH BRAZIER, engineer, and HERBERT lVA'rsoN, engineer, subjects of the King of Great Britain, residing at 437 Collins street, Melbourne, Victoria, Commonwealth of Australia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Means for Lighting and Extinguishing a System of Gas-Lamps at Prearranged Times from a Given Station, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention has for its object to provide means whereby gas lamps may be lighted and extinguished by mechanism actuated by the rise and fall of the pressure in gas mains, and for carrying the invention into elfect, we rely upon the fact that the pres sure in a gas main can be conveniently raised and lowered.

To effect the purpose of our invention, we provide novel mechanisms which are actuated by a horizontal flexible diaphragm susceptible to the varying pressures of gas in the mains, which mechanisms are so disposed that the gas will be supplied to a lamp and its pilot light alternately.

Further, we provide means for retarding said mechanisms within certain limits, and to adjust the apparatus to properly operate with the pressure at the point where the lamp may be situated.

In the accompanying drawings :Figure 1 is a general view of our apparatus at tached to a lamp burner. Fig. 2 is a vertical diagrammatic section of part of the apparatus. Fig. 3 shows in front elevation the valve and retarding mechanism and the pawl mounting. Fig. 4 illustrates the pawl which engages the valve ratchet. Fig. 5 is a detail of the retarding means, and Fig. 6 a rear end elevation of the same. Fig. 7 shows in plan the interior construction of the valve. Fig. 8 is the register plate of same, while Figs. 9 and 10 show the registering and ratchet faces respectively of the rotatable disk of the valve.

The chamber 1, which is attached to the gas main through the nut 2 or by other suitable means, screws on to the cover or lid 3. The latter has openings 4: in its periphery for the purpose hereafter to be explained, and it is bored out on the top to permit of Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed. December 28, 1909.

Patented Oct. 11, 1910.

Serial No. 535,333.

zontal lever 27 which is articulated to a connecting rod 9 attached at its lower end to a horizontally mounted diaphragm 10 secured to the cover 3 of the chamber 1 by a washer 11.

Above the diaphragm is a washer 39 that is convex 011 its under side to minimize friction thereon and to give a sufficient surface for the diaphragm to operate the mechanism.

Below the diaphragm and suspended therefrom is a plate 12 which serves the twofold purpose of assisting to baflle solid particles of foreign matter contained in the gas stream and to support the sectional weight 18, the parts of which can be added or subtracted according to the pressure of the gas at the lamp to be operated. The Weight 13 is contained within a dome shaped chamber 10 (Fig. 2), which presents a convex surface to the underside of the diaphragm.

The gas will enter chamber 1 from the main and will pass upward through the supply 14 to the valve, the parts of which are so disposed and operated that gas will only be permitted to pass to the lamp at certain convenient periods. The valve is further disposed to light alternately the lamp and its pilot the one from the other, as will be explained with reference to Figs. 7 S and 9 of the drawings.

In the construction of the valve seat we recess the cheek 6 to form three compartments 15, 1G and 17 which are separated from each other by the bridges 18 and the register plate 19 that is secured over the recesses, as above explained and provides the seat for the disk 5. Compartment 15 is connected with the supply 1 1 while 16 leads to 22 by means of which, and the disk 5, coinpartment 15 can register with either 16 or 17 but not with both at the same time. The disk has six ratchet teeth 7 and its face is recessed as shown, each horn of the recess 23 coinciding with a tooth of the ratchet and disposed as the disk is rotated, to come over the openings 22 in plate 19. Between each horn is an elongated recess 24., which, when over the pilot light ports 25, will permit the gas to pass from 15 to 17 by way of opening 22, recess 2st and the ports 25 in plate 19. When the disk is again moved onward and the horns come over the openings 22, supply 15 will register with the delivery 16 through openings 22 and recess 23.

The gas ways let and 20 should be bored vertically in the cheek 6 in such a way as to come into the recesses 15 and 16 respectively. In addition to 1 k and 20 there is another gas way 21 which goes directly to the pilot light from chamber 17. The gasway lat is bored through the washer ll, diaphragm 10, lid 3 and cheek 6 to communicate between the valve and the chamber 1.

It will be noted that we utilize two ports 25 for conveying the gas to the pilot as by so doing the cut off therefrom is more gradual. e further provide the plate 19 with two perforations 22 on each half, one pair registering with the other pair as occasion requires. By utilizing a plurality of perforations over the ample chambers below the plate, the valve is kept within a. reasonably small compass.

The pawl S for rotating the disk of the valve receives its motion from the diaphragm and is attached to the arm 38 upon the bar 27 to which the rod 9 is in turn loosely connected, the bar 27 having a finger 28 which engages with the retarding gear directly to be described.

The travel upward of the pawl 8 which operates the disk 5 is limited by means of the U shaped bar 27 which comes, at the com pletion of its stroke, in contact with the spindle of the disk 5.

The bar 27 is pivotally mounted in standard 37" which is situated at one side of the disk 5 while the rod 9 and pawl S are mounted on the bar at points upon the other side of the disk. By so arranging the parts, the travel of the pawl will be along an arc the radius of which partly coincides with that of the disk, thereby insuring the proper engagement of the pawl with the teeth of the ratchet.

Owing to the necessity for leaving an opening in the lid 3, whereby dirt may accumulate on the top of the diaphragm, the openings 4 in the lid are provided to render it easy to blow out any dust lodging thereupon.

Referring to the Figs. 3, 5, and 6, these illustrate the means employed to steady or retard the upward movement of the rod and pawl until the lighting up pressure is applied. A trip piece 29 is mounted in a counterweighted wheel or disk 30, itself held between centers in a bracket 31. The rotary movement of the disk 30 is limited by a stop and plate 33, the stop being further provided with an adjusting screw 34 impinging on the plate. The disk 30 also carries a counterweight 36 made up of a number of small weights for purposes of adjustment according to circumstances.

The lamp burner is mounted on the bridge 35 which is bored throughout its length to communicate with the delivery 20, the ends being closed by suitable plugs which, when removed, allow of access to the gas ways for cleaning.

In operation, gas enters the chamber 1 and passes upward to the valve; at the same time, if the pressure is sufficient, the diaphragm and the parts attached thereto will be moved upward. The valve is set to deliver gas to the lamp when the lighting up pressure is applied, when the pawl 8 will engage a tooth of the ratchet and rotate the disk 5. From midnight to early morning the pressure recedes to its lowest point and the pawl falls below the next tooth. Toward morning the pressure again rises, the effect being to cause the upward movement of the pawl to engage the tooth next above it and to rotate the disk 5 a distance equal to about one half the pitch of the teeth 7 this lights the pilot and cuts out the lamp, at the same time bringing the finger 28 into engagement with trip 29 which prevents the further upward movement of the pawl until the lighting up pressure is again applied.

\Vhile the day pressure is on and the pilot chamber 24 is registering, the finger 28 will be in engagement with the trip 29, and the retarding means will operate to prevent gas being supplied to the lamp. The said mechanism is such that it may be nicely adjusted according to circumstances whereby the fin ger will be required to overcome a given weight before the lighting up pressure causes it to cant over the disk 30 and to pass it by.

By means of our invention thelamp, after being lighted, will be free to burn steadily in spite of wide variations in pressure. It will be clear that before the pawl can again rotate the disk, the pressure must fall to its minimum and by so doing lower the pawl below the next tooth.

For the purpose of preventing the backward movement of the valve from any cause we employ a pawl 37 that is supported upon the cheek 6 and engages the teeth 7 of the disk.

Our invention is for use principally upon street lam s, but if it is to be employed in the lighting of churches and other buildings, a governor holder will be installed by means of which the pressure can be turned on or off locally.

The parts constituting the appliance have been oesigned with a view to their being readily accessible for purposes of cleaning, to permit of their being nicely adjusted, and to be outside the gas atmosphere as far as possible.

The alternate lighting of the lamp and its pilotsaves a small amount of and also tends to prolong the life 01 the mantle by minimizing the carbonizing etl ect thereon of the pilot flame.

e claim 1. In an appliance of the kind indicated, a rotary valve consisting of in combination, a rotatable disk provided with a number of ratchet teeth and held between centers, a register plate under the disk covering chambers or recesses connected with the main gas supply, the lamp and its pilot light respectively, the register plate and disk having means for alternately conveying gas from the supply to the lamp and pilot light chambers as the disk is rotated by means attached to a flexible diaphragm susceptible to gas pressures.

2. The combination with a valve having its parts disposed to alternately convey the gas stream to a lamp and its pilot light, of a horizontal flexible diaphragm susceptible to varying pressures in a main, means for communicating the upward movements of the diaphragm to the valve, a curved washer above and an adjustable sectional weight within a dome shaped chamber the roof of which is in contact with and under the diaphragm and a curved plate supporting said weight all as and for the purposes set forth.

3. The combination in an appliance of the kind indicated, of means for retarding the upward movement of the diaphragm which consists of a counterweighted disk mounted between centers, a trip piece on the disk that is engaged by a finger upon the parts attached to the diaphragm until the gas pressure approaches toward its maximum, and means for canting over or adjusting the disk according to circumstances.

l. In an appliance of the kind indicated, in combination, a pawl that is mounted upon an arm, a U shaped lever supporting the arm and itself loosely attached to a vertical rod deriving its motion from a flexible dia phragm susceptible to pressures, said lever being so disposed in relation to a rotary valve that the path of the pawl will be toward and around the disk of the valve.

5. The combination in an appliance of the kind indicated of a disk having ratchet teeth on one side and two sets of recesses upon its other side, a set of chambers or recesses commnnicating with the gas supply, the lamp and its pilot light respectively and a register plate closing said chambers and which forms a seat for the disk, said plate having perforations which, with the recesses in the disk, permit of the gas supply chamber registering with the lamp supply or pilotlight chambers respectively as the disk is rotated.

6. In an appliance of the kind indicated, in combination, a gas chamber, a horizontal flexible diaphragm closing the top of said chamber, a rotary valve placed exteriorly thereto and means secured to the diaphragm for actuating said valve that is disposed to alternately convey the gas stream to a lamp and its pilot as the disk of the valve is rotated by the actuating means, mechanism for retarding the upward movement of the diaphragm and means for adjusting the diaphra gm to operate with the pressure locally at a point in a lighting system.

'7. In device of the character described, the combination with a main burner, of a conduit leading to said burner, a valve movable step by step and movable at each step to open said conduit, and a movable element operated by variations of pressure actuating said valve, each maximum increase of pressure moving said element to actuate said valve a full step to open said conduit and less than a maximum increase moving said element to actuate said valve but a partial step to close said conduit.

8. In a device of the character described, the combination with a main burner, of a pilot burner, passages leading to said burners, a valve controlling said passages and movable step by step and movable at each step to open the passage leading to said main burner, and a movable element operated by variations of pressure actuating said valve, each maximum increase of pressure moving said element to actuate said valve a full step to open the passage to said main burner, and less than a maximum increase moving said element to actuate said valve but a partial step to close the passage to said main burner and to open the passage to said pilot burner.

9. In a device of the character described, the combination with a main burner, of a pilot burner, passages leading to said burners, a valve controlling said passages and movable step by step and movable at each step to open the passage leading to said main burner, and a movable element operated by variations of pressure actuating said valve, each maximum increase of pressure moving said element to actuate said valve a full step to open the passage to said main burner, and less than a maximum increase moving said element to actuate said valve but a partial step to close the passage to said main burner and to open the passage to said pilot burner, and means interposing a yielding resistance to said movable element at a predetermined point in its movement, whereby said valve is prevented movsaid movable element at a predetermined ing a full step except under maximum prespoint in its movement. v sure. In Witness whereof We have hereunto 10. In a device of the character described, signed our names in the presence of two sub- 5 the combination with a main burner, of a scribing Witnesses.

pilot burner, passages leading to said burn- JOSEPH BRAZIER. ers, a valve controlling said passages, a mov- HERBERT XVATSON. able element operated by variations of preslVitnesses: sure in said conduit to actuate said valve, P. M. NEWTON,

10 and a yieldable stop adapted to interrupt A. HARNETT. 

